Bridging Tradition and Innovation: The Randselva Bridge Project

Blog Post
27 Aug
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CASE STUDY: Randselva Bridge

 

At BuildingPoint Canada, we are proud to be a Tekla partner and your ally for rebar and BIM projects. There is something deeply symbolic about a bridge joining two bodies of land. By connecting people and places more efficiently, bridges manifest humankind’s ongoing progress. Many bridges also capture the essence of their era with iconic designs that stand as testaments to the engineering practices of their time. 

The Randselva Bridge in Norway is poised to become a modern icon. Spanning 643 meters, it is the world’s longest bridge built entirely using 3D modeling, without any paper drawings. Winner of the 2020 Tekla Global Building Information Modeling (BIM) Award, this project exemplifies the shift from traditional methods to cutting-edge technology, setting a precedent for more efficient and cost-effective construction practices. 

The Randselva Bridge crosses the river of the same name near Hønefoss, approximately 60 kilometers northwest of Oslo. Hønefoss, an industrial center with several key factories, lies near the European route E16, a vital east-west highway extending from Gävle in Sweden through Norway, and reaching Scotland and Northern Ireland via ferry routes. The Randselva Bridge is part of a larger initiative by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration to enhance a section of the E16 highway. 

The bridge’s construction reflects its pan-European significance, involving a diverse team: Norwegian construction company PNC, Portuguese civil-engineering firm Armando Rito Engenharia, and BIM specialists from Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Poland working for Swedish engineering consultancy Sweco. Utilizing Tekla Structures and the Tekla Model Sharing collaboration tool, Sweco’s team ensured seamless, simultaneous work without conflicts. 

The Randselva Bridge is a visual marvel. Its two single lanes gracefully curve over the river and forest, reaching 55 meters above ground at the highest point. Featuring a concrete box-girder design and built using the balanced cantilever method, the bridge stands on six piers ranging from five to 42 meters in height. It contains approximately 200,000 rebars within concrete added in 200 separate pour phases. 

The slender design presented unique challenges, tackled with parametric algorithmic design principles. Heavy reinforcement and over 200 post-tensioning cable anchors made certain areas complex to design. Each object in the Randselva BIM model carries around 50 information attributes, forming a vast data set best managed in 3D. 

Aarni Heiskanen, Construction Innovation Agent and Tekla Global BIM Awards 2020 jury member, remarked, “The groundbreaking Randselva Bridge project paves the road to the future of digitized construction.” 

About 95% of the project’s information is transferred to the contractor via IFC files. Tekla Structures’ labeling of all reinforcement according to its pour phase allows the contractor to extract bar bending lists as needed. Automatic clash detection ensures buildability, reducing errors and translating into significant time and cost savings on-site. 

The Norwegian Public Roads Administration, the project owner, advocated for a model-based approach due to significant reductions in change requests observed in previous BIM projects. Since embracing model-based projects in 2016, the Norwegian authority has collaborated with industry players to transition smoothly to BIM-only construction. As a result, Norway now leads the world in drawing-free projects, with Finland closely following. 

On-site crews at Randselva use tablets to access the BIM model or view it on larger screens in portable shipping containers. With the Trimble Connect online collaboration platform, the team can communicate with 3D modelers and other stakeholders in real-time. Crew members with computer skills work alongside those accustomed to traditional drawing-based methods to ensure 3D knowledge is shared effectively. 

The Randselva team is also pioneering the use of augmented reality with the Trimble SiteVision system, allowing them to superimpose virtual versions of upcoming construction sequences over completed work. This technology aids in planning and installing pipes and reinforcement, as well as controlling scaffolding and pile positions. 

At BuildingPoint Canada, we are committed to supporting projects like the Randselva Bridge, where innovation and tradition intersect, driving the construction industry towards a brighter, more efficient future. 

Contact us if you need to start your rebar project. 

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